Dragon of Wind
by IamNotaBird
Summary: AU. The fury she had felt at Raimundo's betrayal was replaced with horror. Raimundo Pedrosa, Xiaolin Dragon of the Wind, was dead.
1. Citadel of Doom

Wuya had sensed his weakness as she banished his friends into the dungeon. Saw the horror in his eyes as he realized that evil isn't about getting whatever you want. She knew that he wouldn't hold out as a minion, or even as a member of the Heylin.

"So, how do you play this... air hockey?"

She allowed him to teach her the trivial game and once a steady pace of play had been established, she spoke again.

"You seemed distressed about the Xiaolin Dragons' capture." Raimundo flinched and missed the puck, allowing Wuya to score.

"I, well... they were my friends. It's hard to see them like that." He replaced the puck in front of him and sent it zooming towards the witch.

"I see," she swatted the puck into his section, eyes remaining on him. He glanced up and caught her gaze. The puck bounced off of his mallet, hit a wall and drifted lazily back into Wuya's section. "They aren't your friends you know. They didn't try to help you when you tried to protect your Master. They took the glory of defeating Mala Mala Jong and left you out to dry." Wuya caught the puck between her mallet and the table.

"I... No, that's... that's not true. They did the right thing," the former Xiaolin Dragon squirmed. "I was stupid to defy Master Fung's orders."

Wuya frowned. This wasn't going as planned. She removed her mallet from the puck and smacked it into Raimundo's unguarded goal. She rounded the table and put a hand on Raimundo's shoulder.

"I know you must have mixed feelings now, but I can assure you it will get better." Rai brightened at her words.

"Really? You think so?"

He failed to notice her hand beginning to glow bright green.

"Raimundo, my boy, I _know_ so."

XSXSXSXS

The Xiaolin monks flew swiftly towards Wuya's castle, plan in motion and Shen Gong Wu at the ready. Dojo hovered in the air before Raimundo's gaming room. They had expected to find him playing video games, living in the lap of luxury.

They found him instead, sitting cross legged in the center of the room, eyes closed.

"Rai?" Kimiko called out. At the sound of his name, the former Dragon of Wind flinched and opened his eyes.

"You escaped." He said simply, rising to his feet.

"Just be cool and let us go, Rai." Kim said.

"Or be a jerk and come after us," Dojo added with a scowl. Without any warning, Raimundo reared back and punched the air.

"Wind!"

A powerful gust blasted Dojo in the stomach. The warriors leapt off from him and landed neatly in the room. The dragon shrank down to his usual size and fell, writhing in pain on the floor.

"Rai, what in tarnation are you doin'?" Clay demanded.

"Catching the escapees," he threw his former friend a grin before charging at the pair. Clay jumped out to meet him, catching his jaw with a strong right hook. Kimiko froze as she watched the pair brawl. Why was Rai fighting them? He was supposed to chase them, not outright attack them.

"Third Arm Sash- Earth!" The Shen Gong Wu sprang to life, tripling in size and becoming coated in stone. The fist of the Wu swung out, missing Raimundo and destroying a pillar. The brown haired boy jumped onto the arm, running down it's length and kicking Clay square in the face. Raimundo stepped onto his fallen form, pressing down on his chest. Kimiko snapped out of reverie and readied her Shen Gong Wu.

"Star Hanabi- Fire!" The star flew like a shuriken, flames blazing. Raimundo swung his hand out, wind bursting forth to extinguish the fire. The Star Hanabi landed harmlessly at his feet. It was enough of a distraction, though, that Clay managed to lash out, landing a solid blow to Raimundo's stomach. He staggered backwards, tripping over the pile of rubble that was once a pillar. Kimiko approached him, standing over his crumpled body.

"Give up, Rai." Kimiko said. "You're outnumbered."

"But not outmatched." Rai flipped up suddenly, kicking Kimiko into the nearest wall. Before she could recover, he was on her, one hand gripping her jaw and pressing her against the wall. She stared into his eyes and saw no remorse. His normally vibrant eyes were cold and dark.

"Just give up," he hissed. "We've already taken control of the world. There's nowhere for you to run."

For a split second, she believed him. What would happen if the plan failed? If Jack couldn't open the puzzle box? There would be nothing left for them. A life of running and desperate fighting against an almighty witch. The Dragon of Fire began to shake as fear set in. Fear of the future, fear of failure, fear of the boy who held her.

"Kim!"

She heard him shout, but couldn't see him. Raimundo rolled his eyes and snapped the fingers on his free hands. The ground shook and burst open beneath Clay's feet. A rock monster grabbed him with both hands and crawled from the hole. Raimundo turned, twisting Kimiko around and holding her in a headlock.

"Surrender, or my friend here makes Clay into a pancake."

" _We're_ yer friends!" Clay spat. "What's happened to you!?" Raimundo frowned and nodded to the rock creature. In response, the monster squeezed its hands, eliciting and sharp cry from its captive.

"Stop!" Kimiko tried to turn around in his arms. "Make it stop, Rai!"

Clay screamed as the monster tightened its grip, clearly intent on breaking every one of his bones. Kimiko began to tear up, frustration and helplessness breaking her will. She was about to surrender, when she heard a sound. A sound that made the monster go stiff and Raimundo shiver.

Wuya was screaming.

As the sound faded, the castle began to shake. The rock monster disintegrated, half burying Clay in its remains. Kimiko wriggled from Raimundo's grip and ran to her fallen friend. The rocks were relatively small, considering how big the monster had been, and she was able to drag Clay out and up to his feet.

"Are you okay?" She asked, allowing him to lean on her shoulder.

"Not really," Clay wheezed. "Let's get outta here."

Jack Spicer and Omi burst through the enormous doors, dodging and weaving around the great chunks of stone that fell from the ceiling. At the window, Dojo expanded to his full fifty foot length.

"Get on! This place is coming down fast!"

Omi and Jack made it to him first, with Clay and Kimiko hobbling close behind. The boys helped Clay on and scrambled up after him. Kimiko turned around. She spotted Raimundo clinging to the doorway, trying to stay on his feet and avoid being crushed. He looked up and their eyes met.

He was angry. He was actually _upset_ about his plan with Wuya failing. She felt her face grow hot and glared at him, then leapt onto Dojo's back.

"Let's go,"

The ancient dragon fled from the falling castle, twisting to avoid the stray boulders. Omi scooted closed to Clay, inquiring as to what had happened with Raimundo and how he had been injured. Kimiko looked over her shoulder just in time to see the whole stone palace fall into a massive heap of scree. In that moment, her heart stopped. The fury she had felt at Raimundo's betrayal was replaced with horror. He had still been inside. She felt a deep throb in her chest and began to sob.

Raimundo Pedrosa, Xiaolin Dragon of the Wind, was dead.

Jack, who was sitting behind her, reached out and gently touched her shoulder. Omi stopped in his interrogation to watch her cry. Clay rolled over and spotted the castle, or lack thereof, and came to the same realization. He laid back on Dojo and covered his face with his hands.

All around them, the ruined land was coming back to life. They should have been in high spirits, celebrating the fall of a great enemy.

Instead, they mourned the loss of a fallen comrade.

Author's note: Thank you for reading. As you may or may not know, this story was originally posted by ThorBrodinson, a good friend of mine. He and I had been working on the story together. A while ago, Thor told me I could have sole ownership of the story. I have been very busy and dealing with a lot of changes, but I have become a lot more stable, and I have decided to continue work on this story. I hope you'll continue to support our creation, please review with any thoughts or criticisms. 


	2. Winds of Change

After returning to the temple, they delivered the news to Master Fung. The elder monk shed a few tears. Omi and Jack, who were also hearing this news for the first time, were stunned. Omi denied it completely. He refused to believe that Raimundo had died. And Jack... Jack swallowed a lump in his throat, apologized for their loss, and flew home as fast as he could.

Kimiko and Master Fung brought Clay to the infirmary where they confirmed four cracked ribs. He was given a bit of pain medicine, despite his protests, and given orders to rest.

They spent the next week mourning. Kimiko shut herself in her room and talked nonstop to Keiko and her father. Dojo sulked around the temple, bursting into tears whenever he spotted something that reminded him of Raimundo. Clay was mostly quiet, though he was seen playing dirges on his guitar. Omi continued to deny the fact that he was dead. He insisted that Raimundo was confused, apparently still considering him not truly evil either, and shacking up with Jack Spicer.

They allowed him this fantasy. He was an orphan with so few people in his life. One day he'd figure it out, but they would let him do that on his own.

There was another matter as well. When Master Fung and Dojo flew to the place where the castle had fallen, they found no remains.

Nor did they find the puzzle box.

Omi was overjoyed at the news, declaring it proof that Raimundo was alive. Master Fung informed Kimiko and Clay that they hadn't been able to get into the deepest part of the stone. They knew without him saying.

He was probably there.

Another week passed. Amazingly, no Shen Gong Wu were revealed, as if the universe were allowing them time to grieve. They began to pull themselves together. Clay recovered and was slowly getting back into his routine exercises. Kimiko was no longer on the phone every waking moment. Dojo stopped crying, though he was overly affectionate with those around him.

One day, Master Fung addressed them at breakfast.

"I know these past two weeks have been hard," he began. "But we must be getting back to normal."

The Dragons said nothing. They silently ate their breakfast, regarding their teacher with tired eyes.

"Dojo and I will be running a few errands today. I expect the three of you to complete your normal chores and practice with your elements."

"We shall not let you down, Master Fung." Omi replied cheerfully. Clay and Kimiko mumbled their agreements. The old monk left, and they began their chores. Kimiko was assigned to sweep, a job that normally went to Rai. She swallowed the tears that threatened to flow and took the broom. Omi left to take care of laundry, while Clay stayed to do dishes. They were silent for a bit before the Dragon of Earth spoke up.

"How ya holdin' up?" Kimiko paused for a moment and considered that. Yes, she hadn't cried in a few days, but it still hurt every time she walked past his room or saw his soccer ball lying in the courtyard or remembered anything about him.

"I'm... bad, but getting better."

Clay sighed and nodded, stretching to put a plate away.

"Yeah, I just keep thinking about it and..." he trailed off, gazing out the window.

"And what?"

"No. We shouldn't think like this." He shook his head. "Rai would kick our butts if he saw us mopin' and moanin' about him."

"You're right," Kimiko sighed and continued to sweep. "It's just so hard not to dwell on it."

"I know, but we just gotta stay positive. Wuya's gone and Jack won't be able to find Wu by himself. They're ours for the taking." Kimiko smiled, then stopped herself. It didn't feel right to smile. Not yet anyway.

The two continued their chores, working steadily into the morning and breaking just before noon. Clay and Kimiko sat on a bench in the gardens, exchanging stories of before coming to the temple and half watching Omi practice his Leopard Attack. Clay was in the middle of the tale of how he accidentally roped his cousin's ponytail when Dojo rounded the corner.

"Hey, yer back." Omi looked up from his practice to smile at the little dragon.

"Did you have a pleasant trip?"

"Ah, well…" he shifted uncomfortably. As they were about to ask what had him so nervous, they heard voices.

"Aye, it's even more beautiful than the pictures."

"I'm glad you approve. The temple was built around fifteen hundred years ago," Master Fung turned the corner, along with the owner of the second voice.

It was a girl with dark brown hair, just long enough to bind into a nub of a ponytail at the base of her skull, and a little mole just below her left eye. She wore a light green tee shirt, striped with dark green and blue jeans rolled up to her knees. A heavy duffel bag was slung over one shoulder and a rolling bag dragged with her free hand.

"Ah, there they are." Master Fung led the girl towards them. "I would like you all to meet Olivia."

"It's so great to meet you," she said, a thick Scottish accent smothering her words. "Master Fung's told me so much."

Clay stood and shook her hand.

"Nice to meet you, ma'am. I'm Clay."

"Olivia, but you already knew that." They laughed awkwardly for a moment before Omi inserted himself between the two.

"Hello new friend. I am Omi, greatest of the Xiaolin Apprentices." Clay shot the little monk a look, to which he beamed sheepishly. Olivia smiled and shook his hand. She noticed Kimiko hanging back and stepped around the boys.

"You must be Kimiko," she said, offering her hand.

"Hi," Kimiko said. "Can you excuse me for a second?" She walked around her without waiting for a response. Before she even got to him, Master Fung spoke up.

"There must be four, Kimiko."

"It's too soon," she said quietly, trying to keep Olivia from hearing her. "It's only been two weeks."

"I have tried to be lenient. I wanted to give you all time to heal and we have been fortunate not to have had any Shen Gong Wu activate, but the council insisted that we replace-"

"She is not replacing Rai."

"No, of course not," he said gently. "She is merely taking on his role as Dragon of the Wind." They were silent. Clay and Omi chatted quietly with Olivia, asking her this and that and if she liked video games and would she like to try out the obstacle course? "Clay, why don't you and Omi take Olivia to her room?"

"Sure," Clay replied slowly. He took the Scottish girl's duffel bag and led her and Omi towards the sleeping chambers. Master Fung returned his attention to Kimiko.

"I know you do not want to let go of Raimundo," he started. "But you must realize that fighting the Heylin forces is bigger than you- bigger than anyone. There must be a Dragon of Wind and she was willing to fill the position." Kimiko shook her head.

"I need to go."

Master Fung watched the young Dragon of Fire leave. Dojo approached him, casually climbing his body and resting his head on the old man's shoulder.

"You've got that look," Dojo said.

"It is merely a feeling," Master Fung said dismissively. He looked up to the sky. "There isn't a cloud for miles, yet I can't help but feel a storm coming."

"You should check the weather channel. They've got these new radar things that can show a storm coming a week away."

Master Fung sighed and massaged the bridge of his nose.

XSXSXSXS

Ashley St. Clair, or Katnappe as she preferred, stood at the edge of the rubble that was once a wicked castle. Her super kittens were sifting through the rocks, looking for anything that might be of use to her. She hadn't been around during the whole, Wuya-taking-over-the-world thing. She'd been vacationing in Italy, but Jack had called and told her all about how Wuya had been turned to flesh by Raimundo but then was sealed up by Omi.

He also mentioned that Raimundo had been killed when the castle fell.

She wasn't looking for his body, gross much?, but she was very interested in finding the puzzle box and maybe a few Wu or magical artifacts that Wuya had had with her.

One of her kittens began to mew excitedly. The others swarmed and began to pull the rocks away with their teeny super powerful paws. Katnappe jogged over to the spot to inspect the find. She grinned like the Cheshire Cat.

Her little kitties had found the puzzle box.

Ashley picked the box up and set down a handful of treats from her backpack. The kittens mewed their thanks while she fiddled with the box. The parts seemed to be clicking into place without much effort on her part. Finally, the cover was complete. It popped open and Wuya, ghostly again, blinked up at her. The evil witch burst out cackling.

"I'm free!" Wuya set the teen girl with a devilish grin. "I knew there was a reason I liked you."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Katnappe waved her off. "I couldn't care less about whether you're around or not,"

"I see," Wuya said, ghostly hand resting on the edge of her mask. "You want something from me, no?"

"Bingo," Wuya laughed.

"Of course, of course. After all, Heylin don't do anything without gaining something in return." A noise caught their ears. Rocks had fallen from the pile. Katnappe raised an eyebrow. Her kittens were still huddled together, gnawing on the little fish shaped treats. So what knocked over the rocks?

Katnappe looked to Wuya, who smiled knowingly.

"You should be grateful," she called. "You would be dead without me."

A hand emerged from the rocks, two fingers clearly broken. The kittens perked up and trotted to the hand, digging away at the stones. Gradually, the mutant felines managed to dig enough away for a head of shaggy brown hair to be visible.


End file.
